Lumps and bumps are generally annoyances that we have to deal with. Feeling your teeth chatter as you drive down a bumpy road or a sore back after a night on a lumpy mattress can’t always be avoided. Seeing a lump or bump on your body, however, can be alarming, and you should find out what has caused it. It could simply be swollen tissue from getting hit by something, but in your feet it could be a condition called a ganglion cyst.
A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled, non-cancerous lump that forms along the joints or tendons in your feet. They are also often seen in the wrist and hands. They are usually round in shape and mostly around the size of pea although larger ones can be up to an inch in diameter. If they are pressing on a nerve they can be painful, and if located in the right spot, they can interfere with the natural movement of a joint. Unfortunately, ganglion cyst causes cannot usually be identified; they are often “idiopathic,” which means we don’t know why they form. They develop and grow out of a joint or from the lining of a tendon and seem to occur when trauma damages the tissue of a joint or tendon or in association with the presence of osteoarthritis. It is also believed that they may develop when there is a structural flaw in the joint capsule. They commonly occur in those between the ages of 20-30.
Dr. Kevin Powers will be able to use imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis of this type of cyst, and fortunately a ganglion cyst tends to rupture naturally and go away on its own without treatment. If it is painful, immobilization, aspiration (draining fluid), or surgery to remove the cyst may be necessary. If you have any concerns about a bump on your foot, contact Kevin J. Powers, DPM for treatment. Call our office in Bloomington, IN at (812) 333-4422.
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